Hilltoppers Picked Fourth In C-USA East Division In Coaches Poll

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Conference USA announced its 2014 Preseason Coaches’ Poll and Awards on Wednesday morning and WKU has been picked to finish fourth in the East Division. Marshall was selected as the East Division favorite while North Texas was picked to win the West Division.

The Hilltoppers received 57 points in the poll, voted on by C-USA’s 13 head coaches, which trailed Florida Atlantic’s 60 points, Middle Tennessee’s 73 points and Marshall’s 91 points. WKU was picked ahead of Old Dominion (33 points), UAB (31 points) and FIU (19 points). Marshall, the defending East Division champions, was unanimously chosen as the preseason division favorite.

WKU exceeded its preseason predicted order of finish in two of its last three seasons in the Sun Belt Conference, finishing third in 2013 after being picked fourth in the preseason poll and placing second in 2011 after being picked seventh by league coaches.

The 10th annual Conference USA Football Championship game, pitting the East and West Division champions, will be held Saturday, Dec. 6.

Marshall senior quarterback Rakeem Cato was tabbed the preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Marshall senior defensive lineman James Rouse was named the Defensive Player of the Year and UAB senior punter Hunter Mullins earned Special Teams Player of the Year honors.

Twenty-eight players were selected to the Preseason All-Conference USA First-Team by league coaches. Marshall led the way with seven selections while UTSA landed five on the preseason all-league team. Rice and UTEP both had three players honored on the preseason squad.

WKU was one of four programs not to have a player selected to the preseason all-conference team, as selected by league coaches.

For the most up-to-date information on WKU Football, follow the team on Twitter at @WKUFootball or on Facebook by liking `WKU Football.’

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